Roast cauliflower salad with lamb

I was reading recently that cauliflower is the new kale, and all I have to say is “YAY!!”. Needless to say, I love cauliflower and I really don’t love kale.

(BTW I have some kale in my fridge that a farmer gave me recently and I have no idea what to do with it, other than feed it to the chickens. Feel free to share ideas.)

I only recently discovered how amazing roast cauliflower is. And I am absolutely a convert now!

This salad is really easy, and is pretty much copied from one my friend Sarah made when I stayed with her recently. Copied right down to the roast lamb accompanying it. Thanks Sarah!

Roast cauliflower salad with lamb
by Mel Kettle (with thanks to Sarah Reeves)

What you need:

• 1.5kg leg of lamb
• 1 large head of cauliflower, cut into small pieces, about 2-3 cm in size
• 1 red onion, thickly sliced
• 6-8 cloves of garlic, still in their skin
• olive oil
• a couple of handfuls of chopped mixed fresh herbs – I used parsley, chives and mint, you could also use basil, coriander or whatever you like
• 1/2 cup of craisins
• 1/3 cup of pistachios, toasted
• juice of a lemon
• salt and pepper to taste

What you do:

• Heat the oven to 180c.
• Put the lamb in a roasting tray, seasoned with salt and pepper. Cook the lamb until it’s as you like it. Mine was done to medium rare.
• When the lamb is almost cooked, put the cauliflower, onion and garlic in another roasting tray. Drizzle generously with olive oil and pop in the oven for about 20-30 minutes. Check it at the 15 minute mark – it doesn’t take long to cook.
• Once lamb is cooked let it rest for about 20 minutes
• Once the cauliflower is cooked, let it cool for about 15 minutes, then add the herbs, craisins, pistachios, a good slug of olive oil, half the lemon juice, salt and pepper. Mix gently together and taste – it may need more lemon juice.
• Serve on a plate with sliced lamb on top of the cauliflower.

What’s your favourite way of cooking cauliflower?

And have you ever absolutely HAD to recreate a meal that a friend has cooked for you?